This invention relates to a modular window well egress and a method of installing the same. More specifically, though not exclusively, the invention relates to a modular egress window well with modular walls that are structurally identical and providing a simple means of installing a window well egress below ground level that is also easy to manufacture.
As land prices have increased, homeowners have looked for means of better utilizing a building's footprint. To do so, building owners have turned to using basement or below grade level space as living space. This raises several issues, such as being able to quickly exit the building in case of an emergency. To allow egress from the basement, building designers have incorporated means of exiting through a basement window into window well designs. These designs have included window well walls with built in steps, hand grips, and other devices that facilitate exiting through the basement window.
Many different designs have been used to create basement window wells. Early designs incorporated window wells into foundations of the building or home. The well was lined with bricks and then capped with additional bricks, wood or iron plating. This was done in an attempt to retain soil and increase the amount of light that entered into the below ground living space. The window was also used to allow the passage of materials, typically coal, into the basement without having to carry the material through the house. These early designs had to be incorporated at the beginning of construction and were nearly impossible to install after the building was formed.
The next step in the design evolution was to create a structure that could be manufactured separately from the foundation of the building. Still in use today, this design typically involves using corrugated and galvanized sheets of metal bent into a generally U-shaped structure that was then attached to the exterior of a building's foundation. The galvanized metal resisted the elements better than previous materials and was easily manufactured. Unfortunately, the galvanized material is unsightly and unattractive to an individual looking out the window. Further, the unitary design increases the difficulty of handling and installing the galvanized metal well structure.
For relatively shallow window wells, there was no need for the window well to incorporate devices or structures that would assist an individual in exiting through a basement window. But with increased building code regulations, the size of a basement window has increased to facilitate egress from within the basement. With this increase in window size, came the requirement for window wells to become deeper. With a deeper window well, there is a need for a structure within the well itself to facilitate exiting the window well. The first solution was the incorporation of a ladder structure outside of the confines of the window well that had to be lowered in. Later designs incorporated recesses and protrusions in the surface of the window well itself. Because the wells were typically constructed of galvanized corrugated sheet metal, the steps and handles were difficult to form and slippery when wet.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,999,334 to Webb discloses a basement escape window structure with a one-piece unit that has a hinged top that serves as an escape hatch from the basement. It also discloses a device with a plurality of steps that allow for easily ascending from the basement in order to escape from an opening in a basement wall. Because of the unitary design, the system is difficult to install. Further because of the lid, the device does not allow sunlight into the basement and completely obstructs the view that might have been afforded with the use of a more traditional window well.
The most recent development in egress window well design is a modular approach as demonstrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,107,640 to 5,657,587 to Gefroh. Instead of the structure being constructed as a single unit, it is instead comprised of multiple parts and modules. The modular design allows for ease of construction, either during the original construction of the building or as a later addition. The modular concept also allows for the replacement of damaged and weathered parts without complete removal and disposal of the entire egress structure. The current designs are deficient in that they are comprised of multiple components of various sizes and shapes.
The variance in the modular pieces increases the cost of manufacturing a complete modular egress window well structure. Multiple tool sets are required to be used in the production of the individual walls. A greater number of individualized components cause a manufacturer's boxing and shipping system to be more complex to ensure that the correct components are shipped. The variance in shapes and size of the components also increase the number of shipping containers necessary to transport the entire system to the final destination. Further, because of the variety of necessary components, a retailer must stock many more components than is necessary to meet on demand needs.
Therefore, there is a need for an improved egress window well structure that consists of a limited number of components that can be easily manufactured. This structure should consist of components that are sightly yet constructed of material that are durable to environmental elements.